Ladder device

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises a ladder device for elevators and bins. The ladder device has a pair of ladder sections mounted to the wall one above the other with their upper and lower ends overlapping in side by side relation. A cross-over platform is provided where the ladder sections overlap. A landing platform is provided at the upper end of the upper ladder section. The ladder sections are slidably mounted to the wall by slip joint connections to allow the ladder sections to move vertically relative to the wall of the elevator, except at the top of each ladder section in which areas the ladder sections are rigidly connected to the wall of the elevator to suspend the ladder sections to the wall. The ladder sections are spaced outwardly from the wall of the elevator, so that a person climbing the ladder section climbs from inside the ladder, between the ladder and wall with the horizontal and vertical bracing to provide a cage area for climbing the ladder.

United States Patent [1 1 ill] 3,856,109

Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert E. Kleve Gates Dec. 24, 1974 [54] LADDER DEVICE [57] ABSTRACT [76] Inventor: Robert B. Gates, Loraine, N. Dak. The invention comprises a ladder device for elevators and bins. The ladder device has a pair of ladder sec- [22] Sept 1973 'tions mounted to the wall one above the other with [21] Appl. No.: 395,121 their upper and lower ends overlapping in side by side relation. A cross-over platform is provided where the ladder sections overlap. A landing platform is pro- 2% F' 'i 8 J g/3g vided at the upper end of the upper ladder section. l g 84 The! ladder sections are slidably mounted to the wall l l 0 earc f by slip joint connections to allow the ladder sections 56 f d to move vertically relative to the wall of the elevator, l l e f except'at the top of each ladder section in which areas UNITED STA PATENTS the ladder sections are rigidly connected to the wall of 306,607 10/!884 Harrington 182/93 the elevator to suspend the ladder sections to the wall. 407.322 7/1889 Barke 182/93 The ladder sections are spaced outwardly from the 2,393,736 7/ 1959 Faye 182/32 wall of the elevator, so that a person climbing the lad 3,107,749 10/1963 Tefleckyu 182/93 Section climbs from inside the ladder, between the ladder and wall with the horizontal and vertical bracing to provide a cage area for climbing the ladder.

2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED [153241974 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG.4.

FIG.8.

LADDER DEVICE This invention relates to ladders, more particularly the invention relates to ladders for elevators and commercial storage bins and the like. I

It is an object of the'invention to provide a novel ladder for elevators and storage bins having sl-ip joint connections between the ladder and the walls of the elevator or bin to allow and compensate for bulging of the walls of the elevator or bin.

It is an other object of the invention to provide a novel ladder which can be rapidly attached to the elevator r bin. v

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel ladder having sliding connections to the wall of the elevator or bin to which it is mounted which compensates for the flexing out or in of the walls of the elevator or'bin. Further objects and advantages of the invention will I become apparent as the description proceeds, and when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

- FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the ladder shown mounted to the side of a grain elevator.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the ladder shown mounted to the grain elevator. Y FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the ladder.

FIG. 4 and 4a are an enlarged fragmentary side elevational'view of the ladders.v v

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3 illustrating the cross-over platform intermediate the height of theladder.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectionaljview t-aken'along line 66 of FIG. 3, illustrating one of the slip joint connections.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the ladder at the upper loading platform.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the ladder.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a ladder for elevator'and storage bins and the like comprising a plurality of ladder sections spaced outward from the wall of the elevator with horizontal braces running from the o utsideedges of the ladder sections to the wall of the elevator, said ladders being mounted in a staggered offset relation to provide a cross-over loading area inter mediate the height of the ladder, said braces on the intermediate and lower portions of each ladder section having a sliding connection to channels mounted to the wall of the elevator to allow the braces to slide in the channels to compensate for any bulging of the walls of the elevator. Said ladder sections have rigid connections at the top of each ladder section to provide rigid connections to the wall of the elevator.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in FIG. I, the ladder invention is illustrated as-mounted to the elevator 21. The ladder invention 20 has a'pair of ladder sections 22 and 23.

The ladder sections 22 and 23 have each a pair of steel brace or rod 28. The outer ends 29 of the rod 28 and bolted to the side beams 24'and 25 of the ladder sections 22 and 23'by bolts 30. The inner ends of the brace 28 have T-shaped ends 31. The T shaped ends 31 are slidably mounted in channels 32. The channels 32 each has a channel portion 33 forming a T-shaped slot The ladder sections 22 and 23 have their upper and lower ends 39 and 40, respectively, in overlapping relation and slightly spaced from one another. A rectangular steel platform or panel 41 is fixedly mounted on braces 27 at the lower'end of section 23 to provide a cross-over platform between ladder sections 22 and 23.-

All of ladder section 22 except its upper end 44 and all of section 23 except its upper end 44 are slidably mounted in channels 32 to move or slide vertically relative to the wall-37, with each section 22 and 23 being slidably independantly of the other.

The upper ends 44 and 44' of sections 22 and 23 are each fixed to the side 37 of the'elevat or by horizontal rigid bracing 45. The braces 45 have their one ends 46 bolted to the side beams 24 and 25 of section 23 by bolts 47. The braces 45 have each a lateral leg 48 at their inner ends with bolts 47 bolting the lateral legs 48 to the wall 37 to thereby provide a rigid connection between the upper ends'of section 22 and the wall and the upperends of section 23 and the wall.

The braces 27 and space'the ladder sections 22 and outward from the wall 37 in spaced parallel relation to the wall and provide an area 50 between the ladder section and the wall for a person to climb the ladder sections. v

A landing platform 51 mounted to the wall 37 beside the upper end 44 of ladder section 23. The landing side beams 24 and 25, with a plurality of rungs 26 fixed between the side beams at spaced intervals therealong.

A plurality slip joint brace connections 27 areplatform 51 has a rectangular steel platform 52 with diagonal bracing 53 mounted beneath the platform 51 fixing the platform 52 to the wall 37. An L-shaped railing 54 extends around the outside of the platform 52, spaced above the platform. The L-shaped railing 54 has a lateral leg 55 at one end bolted to the wall 37 by a bolt 56 and a lateral leg 57 at the other end bolted to A door 60 in the wall 37 of the elevator, at the loadelesometimes happens in some bins and elevators when the cribbing compresses, for example.

Each ladder section 22 and 23 isindepend'antly suspended by its braces 45 at its upper end so that the intermediate and lower'ends of each ladder section or in other words all or each ladder section except its upper end can slide vertically relative to the wall 37 by its bracing 27 sliding in the channels 32. The platform 41 at the lower end of section 23 is also slidable relative to the wall along with section 23.

Each ladder section 22 and,23 is also rigidly suspended to the wall 37 at its upper end by diagonal bracing 67. The diagonal bracing 67 each has its one ends 67' bolted to the upper ends of the side beams 24 and 25 by bolts 68, and their otherend 67 bolted to the wall 37 by bolts 68.

It is desirable that each ladder section be approximately feet in length and that each ladder section 22 and 23 be made no longer than approximately 30 feet in length. If the ladder sections are made much longer than 30 feet in length it may be that the rigid upper ends of each ladder section may have to carry too much weight. The rigid bracing and 67 have to support too much weight for its strength and the ladder section may thus be unsafe.

Many elevators are only 60 to 75 feet in height, so that two sections 22 and 23, as illustrated in FIGS. 1

j and 2, can adquately serve the function of reaching the If the elevator to which the ladder is being installed or attached is much higher than 75 feet it would be necessary to provide a third ladder section in addition to ladder sections 22 and 23. The third ladder section would be of the same construction as section 23, with a crossover platform at its lower end. It would have its lower ends overlapping the upper end of section 23 in the same manner as section 23 overlapps section 27.

Also the side bracing 61 and 62 along inside of section 23 andthe third section where they overlap would be eliminated in the same manner as the side bracing 61 and 62 between section 22 and 23 is eliminated where they overlap to enable a person to crossover from the upper end of section 23 to the platform at the lower end of the third section.

Also, the side braces at the upper end of the third I section would only be eliminated on the side where the landing platform I would be located to enable persons to cross over from the third section to the landing plat form.

Thus, additional ladder sections would be provided of 30 feet or less to reach the door at the top of elevators or a greater height than 70 to 75 feet.

Also, the lower end of ladder section 22 is spaced above the ground 78 feet to prevent unauthorized climbing on the ladder device. 1

Also a triangular outward projecting brace member 70 may be provided at the lower end of ladder section 22 to prevent persons from climbing the outside of the ladder device.

. Persons climbing up and down the ladder will climb the ladder sections 22 and 23 from the inside of the ladder sections-in the area 50, so the person will have his back against the wall 37 while climbing the rungs of the ladder with his hands and feet.

v A pair of elongated vertical steel braces 61 and 62 are bolted to the braces 41 and 28 by bolts 63 along each side of the ladder sections, except in the area 64 between the ladder sections where they overlap to allow a person to move from one section to another of the ladder. Also, the braces 61 and 62 of section 23 along the side beam 24 willhave their upper endsto terminate at point 65 just beneath the platform 51 to allow the operator to move between the landing platform 51 and the ladder section 23.

The vertical bracing 61 and 62 provide a cage-like area for the person to climb the ladder sections 22 and 23 for greater security.

A person will climb up the ladder section 22 in the area 50 between the ladder section 22 and the wall 37 until he reaches the cross-over platform 41, and will climb over onto. the cross-over platform 41 and climb up section 23, in the area 50 between the ladder section 23 and the wall 37, until he reaches the landing platform 52 and whereupon he will climb onto the loading platform 52, which enables him to reach the door at the top of the elevator. The person will climb down the ladder sections 22 and 23 by the reverse process.

Thus it will be seen that a novel ladder device has been provided which provides a cage-like area for the operator to climb the ladder sections and which has slip 20 joint connections to allow the ladder sections to move relative to the wall of the elevator to compensate for any bulging of the walls of the elevator.

It will be obvious that various changes and departures may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof and accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited to that specifically described in the specification or as illustrated in the drawings, but only as set .forth in the appended claims wherein.

What is claimed is:

l. A ladder device for silos adapted to be mounted to a vertical wall of a silo, and comprising at least a pair of ladder sections, said ladder sections end each comprising a pair of vertically elongated railings adapted to be spaced outwardly from the silo wall with horizontal rungs connecting the railings together in fixed relation, a plurality of horizontally extending elongated spacing rods having their one ends fixed to opposite sides of the railings along the intermediate and lower ends of the railings and projecting inwardly toward the wall of the silo, vertically elongated plates mounted at the inner ends of the spacing rods, a plurality of vertically elongated C-shaped channels adapted to be fixedto the side of the silo, said elongated plates being slidably mounted in said C-shaped channels to slide upward and downward in said channel so that the intermediate and lower ends of the railings may move up or down relative to the silo wall by the plates of the spacing rods moving I up or down in the C-shaped channels, a pair of spacing rods at the upper end of said pair of railings on opposite sides of the railings with their one end fixed to the railings and their other end adapted to be fixed to the silo wall, a diagonal pair of rods at the upper end of said railings with their upper ends extending diagonally upwardly and'adapted to be fixed to the silo wall at an angle in relation to said first pair of spacing rods to fix the upper end of the railings to the silo wall with all portions of the railings to the silo wall .with all portions of the railings below the upper end portions and including the intermediate and lower portions being free to slide upward or downward relative to the silo wall by the sliding plate sliding in the C-shaped channels.

2. A ladder device according to claim 1 wherein said ladder sections are 'mounted in staggered relation to one another on said silo wall with the lower end of the railings of one of said sections adjacent the upper end of the railings of the other of said sections in closely spaced relation, a cross over platform mounted to the lower end of the one section between the railing and the silo wall and slidable with the lower end of the railmg. 

1. A ladder device for silos adapted to be mounted to a vertical wall of a silo, and comprising at least a pair of ladder sections, said ladder sections end each comprising a pair of vertically elongated railings adapted to be spaced outwardly from the silo wall with horizontal rungs connecting the railings together in fixed relation, a plurality of horizontally extending elongated spacing rods having their one ends fixed to opposite sides of the railings along the intermediate and lower ends of the railings and projecting inwardly toward the wall of the silo, vertically elongated plates mounted at the inner ends of the spacing rods, a plurality of vertically elongated C-shaped channels adapted to be fixed to the side of the silo, said elongated plates being slidably mounted in said C-shaped channels to slide upward and downward in said channel so that the intermediate and lower ends of the railings may move up or down relative to the silo wall by the plates of the spacing rods moving up or down in the C-shaped channels, a pair of spacing rods at the upper end of said pair of railings on opposite sides of the railings with their one end fixed to the railings and their other end adapted to be fixed to the silo wall, a diagonal pair of rods at the upepr end of said railings with their upper ends extending diagonally upwardly and adapted to be fixed to the silo wall at an angle in relation to said first pair of spacing rods to fix the upper end of the railings to the silo wall with all portions of the railings to the silo wall with all portions of the railings below the upper end portions and including the intermediate and lower portions being free to slide upward or downward relative to the silo wall by the sliding plate sliding in the C-shaped channels.
 2. A ladder device according to claim 1 wherein said ladder sections are mounted in staggered relation to one another on said silo wall with the lower end of the railings of one of said sections adjacent the upper end of the railings of the other of said sections in closely spaced relation, a cross over platform mounted to the lower end of the one section between the railing and the silo wall and slidable with the lower end of the railing. 